OPTIMAL SELF

RDoC believes that wellness means being your optimal self. RDoC is focused on helping residents be their optimal selves by normalizing seeking support, providing tools to self manage and self advocate and advocating at a national level for system level change.

RDoC’s Role

RDoC has focused on the development of an Optimal Self Curriculum that is national in scope, drawing from the highly successful Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) program created and implemented by the Canadian Armed Forces and The Working Mind program taught by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC).

RDoC’s Optimal Self Curriculum is a practical, skills-based program that is designed to help residents be their optimal self by teaching evidence based skills designed to mitigate stress and optimize performance. The tools are designed to help residents overcome both the anticipated and the unexpected adversities of medical training. The Optimal Self Curriculum promotes the importance of fostering supportive learning environments and advocates for a systematic approach to understanding and addressing stressors. RDoC’s aims help prepare residents to transition to rewarding and sustainable careers − which yields benefits for patients and Canada’s healthcare system as a whole.

The Curriculum

The main component of RDoC’s Optimal Self Curriculum is the Resident Module, an interactive workshop facilitated by RDoC’s optimal self peer trainers.

RDoC has also created a Leadership Module intended for anyone in the postgraduate medical education environment who wishes to champion resident well-being.

The Train-the-Trainer Program was designed to recruit resident volunteers across Canada who will deliver these modules to their peers and colleagues.

RDoC would like to acknowledge the CMA’s generous financial support of the RDoC Optimal Self Training Program, through a funding grant for resident wellness initiatives.

For More Information

If you have any questions, please contact us at optimalself@residentdoctors.ca.